Traveling bridge crane



Jan. 12 1926. 1,569,269

F. w. .EAsELsToN TRAVELING BRIDGE CRANE Filed Jan. 1, 192s sheets-sheet1 .4 rromfrs Jan.. 12 1926. 1,569,269

F. w. EAGELsToN TRAVELING BRIDGE CRANE Filed Jan. l, 1923 2 Sheets-Sheet2 laus Patented Jan. 12, 1926.

.UNITED srATtsrA FRANK W. EAGELSION, 0F BERKELEY, CALIFORNIA;

TRAVELING- BRIDGE CRANE'.,

Application led January 1, 1923. Serial No. 610,084.

To all tti/1,0m it may concer/1i.'

Be it known that I, FRANK W. EAGEL- s'roN, a citizen ot the UnitedStates, and a resident of Berkeley, in the county of AlamedaI and Stateof California, have invented a new and useiull improvement in TravelingBridge Cranes, et which the following is a full, clear, and exactdescription.

My invention relates to improvements in process and means for switchingrailroad cars, and it consists in the steps hereinafter disclosed, andin the combinations, constructions,' and arrangements herein describedand claimed. Y

An object-of my invention is to provide a traveling` crane which willquickly and with safety pick up-and set down a railroad ca r or otherstandard shaped object.

A further object of my invention is to provide a crane tor pickingupandsetting down a railroad car which will cause no undue or dangerouslyabnormal strain or pressure to be Lbrought upon a car or any of itsparts.

A further object of my invention is to provide a crane for picking upand setting down a railroad car which will engage with all of the trucksand wheels ot a car so as to posi tively hold them in unaltered positionand in alignment with the body .of the car throughout the complete cycleof operation.,

A further object o my invention is to provide a crane tor picking up andsetting down railroad cars which will work with equal'rapidity,positiveness, and safety, etc., alike on all cars permitted inInterstate Coinmerce Commission service.

A further objectV of my invention is to provide a means for said cranewhich will afford maximum security against derailment or other accidentsthrough all phases of operation.

A further object of my invention is to provide a mechanism which willbefree from hooks, chains, or ther pendulous parts which project belowthe horizontal plane of the lowest part oi therigid construction of thecrane, after a load has been landed whereby the crane may be readilymoved over the topsfot cars.

A further object of my invention is'to pro vide a crane which will pickup and set down a car or other load evenly.

A further object of my invention is to provide a crane 'which with itsload acts as a ballistically solid mass in its reactions to horizontallyapplied accelerating or decelerating forces which may be applied to theloaded crane for purposes of horizontal propulsion along the tracks otits bridge.

A further object of my invention is to provide a crane which will beable to accurately land its load more promptly at destination.

A further object of my invention is to make possible use of greatlyincreasedfrrates ot acceleration and deceleration in normal operation ofsaid crane; also higher speed of crane-travel.

A further object of my invention is to provide a means' which willincrease rapidity of attachment and detachment of load by makingapparatus self-adjusting. Y Y

A further ob `ect of mv invention is to provide acrane which will beable to pick up a railroad car directly beneath the end of thecar-bolster. Y

A further object of my invent-ion' is to provide a crane which can pickup a railroad car either by its bolsters or by the bottoms of itsjournal boxings, or by distributing the weight of said car in anydesired ratio between these points of support.

Arfurther object ot my invention is to provide a a novel constructionfor bridge cranes for heavy service which will'v increase the rigidityofthe crane and will at the same time decreasethe cost ot itsconstruction by permitting the insertion ot' rigid cross-diaphragms or.diaphragm trames that connect the two main girders ot the bridge craneat intermediate points-'ot' the span.

A further object of, my invention is to provide a mechanism of suchnature that the operator riding on top of the bridge crane may have suchcomplete control of his load that he can safely pick up a vrailroad carstanding on one track under his crane and transfer the car to. anothertrack also under the crane Without help from any one else, and withoutrisk of derailing the car or damaging it.

Other objects and advantages will appear in the following specification,and vthe novel features of the invention will be particularly pointedout in the appended claims'.

My invention is illustrated in the accompanying drawings yforming a partvof this application, in which-y Figure 1 is an end elevation of 'thedevice, and

Figure 2 is a side elevation of the device. One form of my invention isshown in Figures 1 and 2 and is shown handlinga standard railroad boxcar which is to be transferred laterally from one track to another. Itwill be noted that this manner ot suspending a load from a crane iseasily adaptable for loads ot any other standardized shape and ltherefore do not wish to be confined to this particular shape and detailot service.

A plate-girder bridge 1. extends at right angles across a number o tparallel railroad tracks 13. in a yard and is supported by steelbrackets 2, carried by structural steel columns S. which in turn rest onmasonry bases 4i. 15 is a latticed steel cross-girder at a heightsutiicient to clear all parts ot the moving crane at all times, and isriveted to the structural columns 3 to maintain the plate girders 1 atthe proper distance apart. 5 is a traveling bridge crane movablelaterally on its supporting wheels 6, which rest upon track rails 7which are fastened to top of bridge gil-der 1. The wheels 6 are drivenby a power mechanism (not shown) and their speed is controlled by anoperator riding in a cage 8 through controlling means t not shown) 9 isa boX-girder frame which is a part ot' the traveling crane 5. 10 is arailroad track rail supported by the boX- girder f). 11 are cranetrolleys carried by flanged wheels 12 which run on the rails 10. Thetrolleys 11 are moved by the wheels 12, these wheels being driven b ymechanism t not shown); this mechanism being controlled by the operatorin the cage S. 111 are plate diaphragms strengthened by structuralangles 38 and riveted to the trolleys 11. Said diaphragm plates andtheir strengthening angle irons project below the bottoms ot girders f)in order that they may be better used tor points ot' attachment for anauxiliary set of lifting mechanism 20. 16 are U-shaped sections whichare riveted to the tace ot the trolleys il and to the '[aec ot thediaphragm plates lrlto make vertical grooves iu which pivot-carryingplatos 17 may freely slide and be firmly guided. 1S are forged steelscrew members which are flattened into p ttes at their lower ends torriveting to the Ytace of the pivot-li earing plate 17. 'lhe screwmembers 1S pass through the load bearing members in the top ot thetrolleys 1l and receive bronze nuts 10 whose outer rims are 'Formed intogear teeth. l l

nose nuts are rotated in unison by gearing (not shown) and driven by apower source (not shown)j that is controlled by the operator in the cage8.

2O are built up structural members 'formed of channel irons on theirinner and outer faces, these channel irons being latticed together withsteel straps throughout their length, but having cover plates at andnear their ends. The members 20 are fashioned as mav be required to fitthe size of the load (in the drawings, l have shown the load asconsisting olf a railroad box car) the crane is designed to handle sothat they will litt the load without the load touching the sides ot themembers 20. rlhe members 20 are strong enough to Carry the maximum loadthat will ever be put upon the L-beam members 25. 21 a slot in the upperend ot the structural member 2() and receives and pivots about a pivotpin 22 which is in turn carried by the pivot bearing plate 1T. 2S is aforged steel member' appropriately shaped and riveted to the tace of thepivot. bearing plate 1T to provide an outer bearing` for the pivotpin22. 25 is an l-beam having a specially forged L-section 25 riveted toits top so that the l-loeam 25 is adapted to lit as closely as desiredagainst the sides of the car wheels 27 at the same time engaging beneaththe outside ot the frame 26 of the car truck to lift the car. 25 isriveted firmly to the lower end ot two adjacent structural members 2t)and is the load receiving member. 28 is a chain competent to carry themaximmn load that willever come upon the -beam 25. 29 is a tnrnbucklethat is set in the chain 2S for adjustment of the length of the chain insuch a manner that the weight of the load on the I-beam 25 will bejointly borne by the chain 28 and the structural member 20 when thecrane 5 is loaded and motionless. 8O is a steel forging riveted to thepivot bearing plate 17 and forms the pivot holding upper end of thechain 2S. 31 is a steel forging similar to 30 but is riveted to thecover plate at the lower end of the member 20, and torms a pivot holdinglower end Ytor the chain 28.

3? is an ll-beam extending horizontally across the structure ot thetrolley 11 and at right angles to the crane 5 to provide tackle points`for pulleys and 3G through which cable 37 is threaded. Cables 37 arewound on drums (not shownl that are carried re spectively on trolleys 11and between diaphragms 14. each drum boing actuated by machinery (notshown) all ot the machinery beingl controlled by the operator in thecage 8. is a pulley attached to the I-heam 25 and carries the cable 37.32 are tension braces from the tops ot the trolley frames 11. and fromthe top of the diaphragm struc ture 14 respectively to the outer ends otthe I-beams Arrowheads on the cable 37 show the direction of motion oilthe various sections as the cable is wound upon a 'drum (not shown).ylhis cable raises the struc'- ture comprising members 25, 20, and 28from the 'tull line position into the dotted line position. The dottedlines in Figure 1 show the raised position ot the principal moving partsot the load-lifting mechanism and ot the load after the bronze nuts 19have been actuated sU-.fi'iciently so as to clear the car trucks fromthe railroad track rails. The

entire installation' is new' readyfor the traveling crane 5 to commence'horizontal movement alongV the rails '7. Members 38 are structuralbraces for the' trolleys'll and the' diaphragms 11i. n

From the foregoing description of .the various parts of the device,the'oper'atlon thereof may be readily understood.` It 1s evident thatwhen thefpivoted construction composed ofmembers 25, 20, and 28 is inraised (inoperative) position shown by the dotted lines in Figure l, theautomotive crane 5' may move freely along the bridge rails 7 even thoughobstructions such asrailroad cars or other droppec'l'loads'are dis'-posed immediately under the crane 5; Conversely it is evident' that thecrane standing'in its open position does not'obstruc't'the movementofthe cars' on *the tracks 13 immediately beneath the craneA 5.

It is evident that the. crane 5 with the members 25,- 20, and 28 ininoperative position, may move freely from any position on thev`lS-ridge structure ly to anyL other position on the structurel when'acar is standing on any on@ of the trac-ks 13, and'that the erane5 may bestopped' in` a precise position-immediately above the'ca'r onthe4 track:If'new, the c'able 3f? be slackedaw'ay on its winding drum (not shown)it is evident that the structure 25,l 20, and y28 will' swing downwardlyand inwardly until the I-'beafl'n- 25 is inthe position'close to theouter face-olf the ear wheels; 2"(l and beneath the sideframe 26 of therail-car truck.'v Now, if chains 28 shall have been previously adjustedby use "of theturnbuckle's 29 tothe exactl lengthfo'r the desired'service, it is evident that the I- beam 25 will automatically come torest with th-e'weight ofthe I`-beam 25 jfointl'yfborn'e by the chains 28and by the structuralmembers 2O,y and that the I-beam 25 will niet exertany inward pressure onthe car wheel' 27. The I-beam 25doe's' notnecessarily havetotouch thev car wheels.v If now the bronze screw nutsbe properly rotated simultaneously by the gfeai-fin'g (not shown) thepivot bearing plates 17' will be raised' vertically in the guides 16,and theI-bea-ms- 25' will engage with the' bcrttlom side of the endframe of the car truck 26 and' will lift the entire car and its' truckclear of the railroad track 13 and will at the sa'me time prevent anytendency of the car truck-s yto get out ofalignment with the railroadtracks. If'v now they entire crane 5 beset in motion along the bridgerails 7, as by actuating its supporting wheels 6, it is' evident thatthe crane load (car 24)' will not oscilla-te or lag appreciably, butwill maintain its fixed positionwith relation to the; pivot bearingplate 17'and consequently to the entire crane 45,-'sin'ce the form of'suspension is such tirati"v thepifvot bearing' plate' 1-7', confined byimnvable guide members i6, canndt rotatie, a'nd the provided for;

component of inertia of the load 24 tending to'reta'rd ymotiorrof theload is instantly assinnedy by the chain 28 on the side of the 'crane 5toward which the accelerating force is tending, and also bythestructural member 20 on that side of the crane 5 away from which theaccelerating force .is tending. At the same time, theother structuralmember 2() andthe other chain' 28 will have their respective parts ofpressure. oi load 24 temporarily reduced by like amounts as their matesare increased. lllhcn a decelerating or braking force is applied yto thecrane ,5* to stop its motion, the suspension members prevent thependu-lous oscillation of' the' loadin va similai'inanner except that anexcess load is in'that case assu'medby the leading structural member 2 0'and by the following (rear) chain '28, while leading (forward) chain 28following (rear) member 20' are relieved of a-'portion offtheirloadings; This shifting of the loadings from one suspension member toits matewill be' instantaneous and without appreciable lateral movemento'f the load under the crane due to the fact that all suspension membersare at the time already under tension and ac'- cordin'gly a' very slightlateral displacement 'of' loading" laterally will cause al very greatpropertioralf transferenceVA of strains@I from vone suspension memberto" the other.'-

When the' crane ifs moved, the load carried by tll'ef crane tendsto'lag. In case the acceleration of-y the' crane is too rapid, theentireweig-htf of the load will come on the forward leading) chain andthe rear" (following) rigidarm 20; actingl jointly. The rear chain28willharmlessly slacken. The forward rigid arm 20 will be under alcompressive strain, unless" it is permittedto move upwardly, and? to"allow for this movement, so asjto' avoid damage, Iyliaveprovided theslots 2l inl the upper endA of each structilralY member 20. `The samesafety result might b'ea'ccompli's'hedby incorporating a properlydesigned hinge joint inthe structural menibersfu2`0i to relieve'the'comp'ressive strains thus occurring? in said-'members 20'. An eX-ce's'sive de'c'elerating'" (braking) force would produce a like effectbut on; the opposite set of members" a'nd is similarly providedl for.

lli)

ila

In either of thel above cases this form of suspension woul'dfsuifer nodamage and displacement o'f loading would vanish almost instantlywitl'ioju't shockl when the aceelerat ing (er d'ecelerating) force' hasdropped to a mfrgnitudc l'es's than the offsets 'of-centers- 2'2 andOhin that particular structure have Harmonic pendulum action of loadwill not maintain in aY load with this constri'fction inpractical(operation.l Since the load is thus held unalter'ably to itsrela'- tive position with regard to the Xed points of the' cran-e 5,and' since the trucksand the wheels of the cars" ar`e"-'held` rigidlyto4 line is brought to rest in precise agreement with a predeterminedindex vertically above a desired track 13, the car V24 can be lowereddirectly upon the track 13 by properly actuating the bronze nuts 19 andthus lowering the pivot plate 17. This precise dropping of the loadingof the crane 5 will occur without loss of time and with a greatcertainty that all of the wheels of the car 24 will rest in propeilruiming position upon the track Especial attention is called to the factthat in landing a car from the crane to the track with this invention,the doubly competent weight carrying members of suspension and the loadreceiving member 25 are in best possible position to catch the carshould the wheels not be landed quite right, that the weight would insuch case be caught directly by that part of the car construction whichnormally bears the weight and the shocks of travel, and that thedisplacement of the center pivot of the bolster of the car in lifting orlanding the same is impossible in operation except by most grossnegligence on the part of the operators of the apparatus.

After the car is properly seated upon the desired track, the power isapplied to the drums (not shown) and the cables 37 are wound on thedrums, thus raising the structural members 20, 28, and 25 to thepositions shown by the dotted lines of Figure 1 and the crane 5 is thenfree to move along the bridge structure 1 without hindrancefrom ordamageto its lately dropped load, i. e., the car 24.

It is evident from the relative location of the pivots, chains 28, andthe structural members 20, that unless some special means were providedto lift the slack from the chain 28 as the structural members 2O areswung outwardly and upwardly about their pivot 22, the chain 28 wouldsag deeply and might become seriously in the way. For this reason theend of the'cable 37 is attached to a mid-point of the chain 28 and iscarried through a series of pulley blocks 34, 35, and 36, in such a waythat thel cable 37 automatically lifts the sag out of the chain 28 atthe same time that it lifts the members 2O and 25. It is evident thatcranes of different sizes and proportions for different services willrequire variation in number of pulleys used and in detail of threadingthe cables. Accordingly I desire not to be restricted to the specificdetail as shown herein for accomplishing this very important combinedresult.

It is at once evident that the hereabove described method of graspingand raising objects which are to be moved by overhead movable bridgecrane is readily applicable to any other standard shaped load and I donot wish to be limited to its application to railroad cars.

In the mechanism as shown in Figure 1, both thc opposed members 2O aresecured to a single pivot 22. It is evidently immaterial whether thesetwo members use a single pivot or whether they use separate pivots solong as lcach unit of one flexible member and one structural membernon-collapsible in tension 20, share the load 24 between them as abovedescribed, and so long as the upper pivots of the chain 28 and of themember 2() are rigidly conlined by guide members to vertical motion overan immovable surface, and so long as both pivots of the aforesaid unitof one flexible member 28 and one structural member 20 never alter theirrelative positions, one from the other. My invention only requires theunchanging relative position of pivots rigidly confined to verticalmotion and movable as a unit.

Therefore I desire not to be confined to the construction shown.

It is at once evident that the necessary safety feature provided by theslotted hole 21 may be equally served by a number of mechanicalexpediente of which this is the preferred form in the nature of hingedJoints which shall render member 20 collapsible under compressionwithout aifecting its rigidity under tension. Accordingly I desire notto be confined to the slot though this is a preferred form of theconstruction.

It 'is evident that other methods of actuating the pivot bearing plate17 in a vertical plane would serve .equally as well as the screws 18 andnuts 19 shown herein; I accordingly desire not to be restricted to theparticular detail as shown.

It is levident that wheels or rollers may be used in place of guideslides 16 without affecting the basic end sought and accordingly Idesire not to be restricted to the slides as shown, though they are thepreferred construction. f a It is at once evident that my improvement isequally adaptable to faces of trolleys or to fixed diaphragms intraveling bridge cranes, dependent on span of crane and loads it isintended to handle. The construction as shown, two movable trolleys andone pair of diaphragms, is the preferred form for a railroad switchingcrane of long span that is required to handle both passenger and freightequipment. It is evident that the crane might be equipped with fixeddiaphragms only or with single movable trolley or with any combinationthereof. Accordingly I desire not to .be restricted to particularconstruction shown. i

It is at once evident that this form of suspension of load from atraveling crane whereby their points of attachment are a considerabledistance below the main body 0f the cran@ .instead of being pivotedmesses through ropes or -chains to suspension points located above v.thecrane structure proper as in the ordinary construction of bridge cranes,makes it practical to apply power for horizontal impulses much morefavorably and at lower points than is practical. with the ordinaryconstruction, and also to use more intense applications of force inaccelerating and retarding the crane without giving rise to anydangerous tendency of strain that might upset the crane or set its loadinto dangerous or uncontrollable oscillations. This results inpracticabilityot use of accelerating and decelerating increments ofspeed far greater than is Vpracticable with other forms of construction,or employed 1n present practice with large cranes under heavy loads.This results also in higher traveling speed limit for the crane.

It will be. noted from Figure 2 thatl the end trolleys 11 Vare movable,i. e., they are mounted nponthe wheels 12 which are adapted to carry thetrolleys along the crane 5. The vcentral lifting member, however, is notmovable, but is rigidly secured to the crane In this central device, theframe 14- is riveted to the crane' and not to the trolley trarne 11 asis the case with the end trolleys. In case thev freight car or otherobject is relatively small, the central lifting member and either one ofthe end members areused to lift the ear from one track and dispose thecar upon the desired track. In the drawing the crane is shown lifting arelatively long freight car and in this case the two end trolleys arebeing used. The two end members may be moved on their wheels 12 by anymechanism not sho-wn) so as to positionthese members in the desiredplace withrespect to the railroad car.

I claim:

A L Atraveling bridge crane comprising a support, a lframe movablycarried by said support,'armscarried by said frame and arranged toengage with a load to lift the latter, and flexible means connectingsaid arms to said frame to steady the suspended load.

Q. A traveling` bridge crane comprising-a support, a frame movablycarried by said support, arms carried by said frame and arranged toengage with a load to lift the latter, and jointed means connecting saidarms to said frame to steady the suspended load.

3. A traveling bridge crane comprising a support, a frame movablycarried by said support, arms carried by said frame and arranged toenga-ge with a load to lift the latter, and suspension means, yieldableunder compression, for connecting said arms to said frame to steady theload.

4. A traveling crane comprising a support, a frame movable vertically onsaid support, arms pivotally carried by said frame for suspending aload, each of said arms being movable, within limits, nnder an upwardlydirected c `n`npressi`o-nV fierce(y y5. A traveling v,crane comprisingav support, a frame' l,movable vertically ,on said support, armspivotally `,carried by saidv crane is carrying the load, and jointedmeans connecting said frame with said 'arnis for steady'ing the load.

7. A traveling bridge crane comprising ,a support, pivoted arms arranged.to suspend a load, jointed means for steadying the load when suspended,and means for raising thel arms vertically.

.8. Atraveling bridge crane comprising a support, pivoted arms arrangedtosuspend a load, jointed means for steadying the lo'ad when suspended,and means vfor simultaneously 'raising the arms and the steady-.ingvmeans, vertically. l

9. In a travelingcrane, a movable frame, movable member" carried byKVsaid frame, means lfor raising and lowering said member, arms lcarriedby said member and being adapted to'engage with a car toilift the latterwhen said member is moved, and jointed ymeans connecting said frame tosaid member tov steady the load.

10. In a traveling crane, a movable frame, a ,plate l,slidably Vcarried`by said frame, means for raising and lowering isaid plate, arms carriedby said plateand 'being adapt- .ed to engage with a car toy lift thelatter.

when said plate is moved, and y,means connecting the free ends of saidarms with said plate to prevent movement of said arms toward each otherwhen they have engaged with a load.

11. A traveling crane comprising a movable frame, plates slidablycarried by said frame, means for moving said plates, arms hingedlysecured to said plates, jointed means connecting said arms to said platefor steadyingv the load and means for swinging said arms intoinoperative position.

12. vA traveling crane comprising a movable frame, plates slidablycarried by ySaid frame, pins carried by said plates, arms having slotsadapted to receive .said pins, whereby said arms are adapted to movesoas to cause said-pins to slide in said slots.

13. A traveling crane comprising a movable frame, plates slidablycarried by said frame, arms oivotally carried by said plates, tensionmem ers connecting said arms to said plates, and means for swinging saidizo arms into inoperative position, said means also being attached tosaid tension members to swing said tension members into inoperativeposition when said arms are swung.

14. A traveling crane comprising a fixed frame and movable trames,plates carried by each frame, arms carried by each plate and adapted tobe swung into a position to engage with a railroad car, said movableframe adapted to be moved toward or away from said iXed frame. and meansfor moving said plates whereby the car will be lifted.

15. A traveling crane comprising a snpport, a frame movably carried bysaid support, and being adapted to be moved in any direction in a givenplane. arms carried by said frame and being adapted to engage with a carto litt the latter and jointed means connecting the tree ends of saidarms with said frame.

16. In a traveling crane. a frame, a plate slidably carried by saidframe, means for.

raising and lowering said plate, arms carried by said plate and beingadapted to engage with a car to lift the latter when said plate ismoved, and means connecting the free ends of said arms with said plateto prevent movement of said arms toward each other when they haveengaged with a load( 17. A traveling crane comprising a support, armscarried by said support and being adapted to engage with a railroad ca rto lift the latter, jointed means connecting the free ends of said armswith said support and means for swinging said `jointed connections abovethe top of the car, when said arms are swung into inoperative position.

18. A traveling crane comprising a support` a trame carried by saidsupport, arms secured to said trame and being adapted to engage with arailroad car to lift the latter, auxiliary trames carried by saidsupport and being adapted to move toward or away from said first namedframe, and car lifting arms carried by said auxiliary frames.

19. A traveling crane comprising a support, a 'frame carried by saidsupport.r pivot pins carried b v said 'frames and car lifting armspivotally carried by said pins, said arms having slots therein, wherebythey are adapted to move slightly with respect to said pins.

20. In a traveling crane, a frame, movable members carried by saidframe, arms carried by said members, and rigid car engaging memberssecured to the free ends of said arms and joining said arms into pairs.

21. A traveling bridge crane comprising a frame, supports carried bysaid frame and arranged to engage with a load to lift the latter, andfiexible means connecting said supports to said frame to steady the suspended load, said flexible means and said supports being connectedtogether so as to prevent the swinging of said supports with respect tothe frame, when said supports engage with the load.

Q9. A traveling bridge crane comprising a trame, supports carried bysaid frame and arranged to engage with a load to lift the latter', andjointed means connecting said supports to said frame to steady thesuspended load, said jointed means and said supports being connectedtogether so as to prevent the swinging et said supports with respect tothe frame, when said supports engage with the load.

:23. A traveling bridge crane comprising a frame, supports carried bysaid frame and arranged to engage with a load to lift the latter, andjointed means connecting said supports to said trame to steady thesuspended load, said jointed means and said supports being connectedtogether so as to prevent the swinging of said supports with respect tothe frame, when said supports engage with the load, and means for movingsaid supports and jointed means above the load whereby the crane isadapted to move over the load.

24. A traveling bridge crane comprising frames adapted to be movedtoward or away from each other, supports carried byrsaid trame andarranged to engage with a load to litt the latter, and means connectedto the free ends of said supports for preventing the movement of saidsupports relative to said iframes whereby said supports and said meansare adapted to steady the suspended load.

25. In a device ot the type described, load engaging members, and meansconnected to said members adjacent to the point at which the member isengaged with the load for preventing the swinging of said members,whereby said members together with said means will steady a suspendedload.

FRANK W. EAGELSTON.

